What began with a dining room brainstorm and a passion for cartwheels has tumbled into one of the region’s most energetic and beloved youth programs. South Central Aerials, a grassroots gymnastics club based in Plum Coulee, has seen enormous growth since launching in 2017, and it's only picking up speed.
“It gave me an outlet to just do something for me. My passion grew for it, and then I couldn’t live without it. So it became a part of me.” - Cherish Delyea, Coach with South Central Aerials.
From hallway tumbling to full-blown club
Pauline Nickel, co-founder of South Central Aerials recalls the club's unlikely beginnings, sparked by her and Crystal Rempel's mutual desire to see their kids benefit from gymnastics. But the real origin story goes back even further.
“Bernie Loeppky brought gymnastics tumbling to Plum Coulee a long, long, long time ago,” said Nickel. “Like, we’re talking 40 plus years ago. I remember Bernie as our gym teacher offering gymnastics as an extracurricular activity -- flips and round offs in the hallways on noon hours!”
In 2017, Nickel and Rempel decided to make it official.
“We saw so much interest in Plum Coulee amongst their friends and the kids at school. So we decided to form a club,” said Nickel.
They chose the name “South Central Aerials” to reflect the wider region and leave the door open for future growth both in location and programming.
Growing fast with no signs of slowing
The club kicked off with around 55 young gymnasts. Within a year, South Central Aerials more than doubled in size.
“We quickly grew to 125-plus students,” said Nickel. “We’ve always had a lot of interest in the club and always run a full program.”
Classes take place at Plum Coulee Hall and range from beginner-friendly to more advanced levels, including parent-and-tot sessions, Kinder Gym, recreational classes, and even homeschool-specific programs. The season runs from mid-September to the end of March, with a break in December.
And the community support? Off the charts.
“Last year, we ran a demonstration day at the end of the season. Hugely attended—we had around 300 people in attendance!” Nickel said.
Coaching with passion
Cherish Delyea knows what it’s like to grow up in gymnastics. She began at age 3 and transitioned into coaching after her competitive years ended around 12 or 13.
“It gave me an outlet to just do something for me,” said Delyea. “My passion grew for it, and then I couldn’t live without it. So it became a part of me.”
Now a coach with South Central Aerials, she thrives on watching students hit their goals.
She’s especially passionate about creating an inclusive environment for every child, no matter their skill level.
“We have all different skill abilities,” Delyea said. “You can be brand new or have years of experience. Everyone’s welcome. I group kids according to skill level, not age, so it’s not discouraging.”
How to register
Registration is now open for the fall season, which begins September 15 and runs until the week before spring break. (with December off, due to busy schedules).
Interested families can connect through:
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Facebook: South Central Aerials Gymnastics Club
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Instagram: @southcentralaerials
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Website: Registration :: South Central Aerials powered by Uplifter
Leotards or fitted athletic wear are required, with hair tied back. No jewelry for safety.